


According to Plan

by Rookblonkorules



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Canoes, F/M, Fluff, Proposals, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-12 02:50:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20556995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rookblonkorules/pseuds/Rookblonkorules
Summary: “Spencer,” she said gently, eyes shimmering with amusement and uncertainty, “I don’t think we’re supposed to be standing in the canoe.”/ Spencer’s surprise for Lila goes more than just a little awry. For lolyncut.





	According to Plan

Lila let her arm hang over the side of the boat, fingers trailing in the water. Her straw hat hung low, casting shadows over her face. Where it caught the sun, her honey blonde hair glinted like golden filigree.

She was an actress, Spencer thought, and yet she probably had no idea just how beautiful she could be.

With her floral sundress and cream yellow leggings accentuated by the dainty straw hat perched becomingly atop her head, she looked the perfect picture of a countrified water nymph.

_ His  _ countrified water nymph.

Spencer swallowed nervously, heart turning somersaults in his chest, as he remembered the box nestled in his pocket.

He resisted the urge to take his hands off the oars in order to feel it. 

“I never thought you’d be into boats, Spencer,” Lila said, a little offhand. She plucked a water lily, holding it gently in the palm of her hands.

“It’s… uh…” The truth was, he wasn’t into boats. And it seemed like the kind of setting Lila would appreciate… what he had in mind. “I thought you might like it,” he said, honestly.

Something in his voice must have given away his nervousness because she straightened, her dreamy expression gone and replaced by one of curiosity and concern. 

Spencer glanced around.

They were far enough away from the dock and the shore that it would be private. 

Now was the time.

He set the oars down, shakily climbing to his feet and extending his hand to Lila. 

Confused, she accepted it and rose to her feet with a bit more grace than Spencer had accomplished.

“Spencer,” she said gently, eyes shimmering with amusement and uncertainty, “I don’t think we’re supposed to be standing in the canoe.”

“It’s fine,” he spoke just a little too quickly, ignoring the way his heart lurched when the boat rocked under his feet. “It’ll… I just need a few moments.”

He reached his hand into his pocket-

-and several things happened at once.

The boat, it seemed, rocked too deeply to the left.

To counterbalance it, Spencer dipped his weight to the right.

And suddenly, with a startled yell, he was falling.

He heard Lila’s small shriek and then he was submerged. 

Spencer propelled himself to the surface, clutching at the overturned canoe for support. 

His waterlogged bangs had fallen into his eyes and he brushed it away, gasping for breath.

Lila emerged next to him, wiping her long hair from her face and grabbing onto the canoe.

Her hat was floating a few feet away and Spencer felt terrible for getting her wet. Not to mention that her outfit was probably ruined too.

It took him a moment to realize she was laughing.

“You doofus,” she turned to him, eyes brimming with warmth, “I  _ told  _ you we couldn’t stand in the canoe!”

“Yeah, well,” Spencer shrugged a little sheepishly, “it seemed like a good idea at the time?” And then he realized.

The box was no longer on him.

“What?” Lila asked, noticing his expression. “What’s wrong?”

“I…” He patted himself down, just to be sure. 

Sure enough, the box was gone.

Panicked, he met her gaze.

“I had a box on me. It was… it was important and…” He hasn’t even finished getting the words out before Lila has taken a breath and dived under.

“Lila!”

For a moment, he seriously considered diving in after her. But, while he could swim, he wasn’t great at it. Not like Lila. 

And though she had surprised him by going under, he knew she was in no danger. She could swim like a fish and there was nothing to be afraid of in the water here, unless you counted snakes and turtles. 

As far as he knew, Lila feared neither, though she wasn’t fond of snakes.

It doesn’t take long for her to emerge from the water again- less time than he feared. 

“I have it.”

She raised her hand and, contained in her palm, he could see the small box.

Spencer’s heart lifted.

Lila swam leisurely back to the boat. Once she reached it, she hoisted herself half out of the water, fingering the box.

“What is it?” she asked.

Spencer’s mouth went dry. “Lila…” 

But he didn’t exactly protest. The purpose of this outing had been, in fact, for her to learn the contents of that box.

Slowly, almost reverently, as if she understood the weight of that tiny box’s meaning (and maybe she did; she had always been perceptive in her own way), she opened the box.

For what seemed like a long while, she said nothing.

Spencer bit his lip- hard- clutching at the boat until he thought it might be possible he’d break his fingernails against it.

She stared at it, eyes unreadable from Spencer’s angle, mouth dropping slightly open before soundlessly snapping shut again.

Finally, a breathless, “Oh,” escaped her. 

Eyes swimming, she turned to Spencer, holding out the box, and the diamond ring it contained, to him. 

“Spencer Reid,” she said, voice wobbling with emotion, “would you do me the honor of… of accepting me to be your future bride.?”

Spencer’s heart swelled and he nodded. There was a pressure behind his nose and his eyes were filling up.

“Yes,” he said, moving to be closer to her. He laughed, genuinely gleeful. “Yes, I accept.”

He took the box from her hand, extracting the ring and gently sliding it on her finger. 

“I love you, Lila Archer.”


End file.
